Eagle Hockey Factory Tour

[Lemieux 66]

Hello everyone,

I'm posting this tour on MSH in case people didn't catch it on the other goalie boards. Enjoy!

Day One – November 10, 2005

The Eagle factory is an unassuming brick building tucked inside a crop of illogically-numbered offices on Charterhouse Crescent. I met the people at Eagle’s front desk before Gus, the Operations Manager, came to greet me. He invited me into his office, which had a wide range of pro-return equipment and potential products: a hockey equipment junkie’s dream. His jolly personality, coupled with his goofy grin, made me feel very comfortable the entire tour. He congratulated me on my winning designs and shared some stories about the different gear in his office. Although he didn’t have an official tally, Gus said that he had the contest submissions piled together, and the stack was three to four inches high!

Here is a pic of Arthus Irbe’s pads that Irbe sent to Eagle to duplicate. The stuffing in these pads is like couch cushion material!

Various companies wanted to make masks for Eagle, so they sent samples to Eagle with the Eagle logo. Notice the sweet Eagle ear hole on the NXI and also the “Moose†graphic on the ProMask. However, please note that EAGLE WILL NOT HAVE GOALIE MASKS AT THIS TIME! They have different things on their plate, so GOALIE MASKS WILL NOT BE PART OF THE EAGLE PRODUCT LINE AT THIS TIME! (I’m trying to make my point clearly here, but I know someone will ask about Eagle goalie masks…)

I arrived in London near the end of the Production Staff’s work day, so I only briefly saw the equipment making process. To ensure that he could get started early the next day, Gus measured me up and made a recommendation for my pad size. We discussed which pad model to use. I was impressed that Gus (and the entire Eagle team, for that matter) was committed to Eagle products and did not bash any other company. He laid down some options and recommended the best product for me. He then took me to the production floor so I could get a taste of the things that would come the following day!

This is the pad that is on the Eagle website. Check out the tag that’s on the side of the pad: my name will be on every pad that has the “Talons†or the “Wings†graphic! In fact, “Talons†will be the official face of the 2006 Sentry. Eagle has made a sample for an NHL pro, and of course had to send it to NHL Head Office for approval. Kris King, one of the “Goalie Policemanâ€, called Gus to tell Gus that the new graphic was the “best graphic that he has ever seen!†That was a cool vote of confidence.

After the Production Staff left, I scurried excitedly around the work area. I was checking out the tools and the partially-completed gear until the production floor’s doors burst open and Ross, Eagle’s President, called for me. At first sight, Ross was an intimidating figure: tall with long curly hair brushed behind his ears, sharply dressed, armed with a firm handshake that engulfed my hand. Yet as we walked to his office, I quickly found Ross to be a warm, welcoming person who took an interest in people. We had a very nice chat in his office, which dwarfed Gus’ office in size and in equipment! A mountain of overstuffed equipment bags littered the floor with player gloves, baseball gloves, clothes, and unspeakable samples, while different goalie sticks lined the wall near the desk. Eagle includes wood goalie sticks in their product line because Ross feels wood sticks offer a better feel and vibration tolerance.

Soon afterward, Ross drove me to his family restaurant, the Huron House. Adam, Eagle’s Pro and Custom Product Customer Service guy, and his friend Ben joined Ross, Gus, and me for a terrific meal. Ross went out of his way to ensure that we had enough food to make it hard to walk without waddling a bit. We chatted about hockey and equipment, and the Eagle guys shared stories about their pros. One of the reasons Boucher chose to wear the Fusions was his teammate’s remark that there was “no way [the Fusions] were legal-sized†compared to his Heaton 10s. The only downer of the night was when I had to talk to Marcelo. Boy, that was such a bummer.

Also, I asked about the super-infrequent website updates. In short, Eagle has been supplying the content, but every web designer they’ve hired has been really slow with their work. I think they’ve gone through four web guys already. So there’s an explanation for that mystery.

Here is a group pic at the restaurant:

In the evening, I visited Western Ontario University and strolled around downtown. London has a pleasant atmosphere that is both exciting and cozy. I stayed at a downtown hotel that was super sweet. I guess I should’ve been fast asleep – I changed time zones and was tired from the traveling – but I was too excited for the next day to settle down!

[Lemieux 66]

Day Two – November 11, 2005

Adam picked me up Friday morning at 9 am to go the factory. On the way there, Adam received a call from Tomas Vokoun! The Predators played Dallas the night before (Thurs, Nov. 10), and Vokoun called to say that he had a talkin’ to Hedberg for switching to Sherwood. Adam said that Eagle would make gear for Hedberg if Hedberg wanted it, but was supportive of Hedberg if his new gear was helping him win. Again, I was impressed by their business practice: stand behind one’s own products and don’t bash other companies. They also talked about making Vokoun’s Olympic gear in both 11†and 12†widths. It was cool listening in on a conversation with an NHLer!

When we arrived at the Eagle factory, I chatted with the ladies at the front desk. All of a sudden, Ross’ head popped out of his office and he hollered at me, “Chris! Production has been waiting for you all morning! Quit standing around and get back there!†I don’t want to say that I skipped to the production floor, but I got there in a hurry!

Gus was already inside, and he beckoned me to a table with a bunch of materials. He was working on my pads since 7 am to ensure that they would be finished before my flight out of London. A very nice lady pulled out templates and instructed me on how to cut out the graphics for my trapper and blocker! I wasn’t expecting to receive a set of gloves! I saw the initial process for the blocker face: graphic cutting, gluing, and logo application.

I traced out the graphic pieces with a ballpoint pen:

Skill and precision at work!

Applying glue to the graphic pieces so they stick to the blocker face before sewing:

The graphic pieces are pressed onto the blocker face prior to logo application:

Here is a shelf of logo transfers:

Running over the logos to ensure complete transfer:

Here’s the “finished†initial blocker face:

After the blocker face, I moved to my trapper. I traced out the leather and foam pieces for the fingerstalls. I used a chisel-like tool to punch ventilation holes in the leather and the foam.

Placing the chisel before punching the hole:

Droppin’ the hammer:

[Lemieux 66]

After doing my little part, I had a little tour of the pad-making process. The entire staff was really friendly as I hawked over their shoulders and watched what they were doing; some of then even came up to me to talk while I was tracing and cutting. The staff explained their roles in the equipment building process. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was several decades’ worth of equipment building experience between the entire staff. Building leg pads involves about 200 pieces, so there’s a lot to track as the gear is made.

Metal dies (think of giant cookie cutters, except for goalie pads) sat on shelves in one corner of the production floor:

Large machines press the dies onto foams:

Buckets with foam pieces line the floor:

Nearby the foam-cutting machines are the work tables on which the different pieces are gathered for the people who sew.

The pad pieces in progress:

The completed puzzle:

Part of the prep for the sewing team is gluing the leather faces to a foam base.

Showing off my newly-acquired glue spraying technique:

[Lemieux 66]

By this point, most of the gear was in the sewing process.

These aren’t my pads, but I wanted to show the process:

The pad pieces sewed together:

A nearly-completed blocker shell:

A sewed blocker face:

A trapper piece in progress:

Here’s the trapper face:

Sewed trapper parts awaiting lacing:

[Lemieux 66]

After the sewing came the time-consuming task of pad stuffing! The pad stuffers were absolutely zooming to finish up the gear.

Stuffing the calf wing:

Stuffing the side rolls:

Punching holes for the knee wings:

A partially stuffed pad shell:

Gluing the leg channel foam:

Finishing the top binding:

While one pair of employees stuffed pads, a one-man show laced the trapper:

[Lemieux 66]

From the sewing onward, I could only watch the gear progress towards the finished product, so I visited different staff members. They shared cool stories about pros they met and interesting gear they made. I saw an autographed Ron Tugnutt bobblehead and pics of Manon Rhéaume’s pads.

The floor supervisor has all of the pro and custom-spec files in her super-duper filing apparatus. I flipped through spec sheets for Esche, Boucher, and Mason!

Peter Skudra’s pads were sitting around. I think they were either 40†or 42â€!

Gus was prepping trappers before shipping by baking them in a skate oven. A freshly-baked trapper snaps shut really quickly. Mmm…I tried on a hot trapper, and it felt so good on my hand.

I stopped by the embroidery room to see the machines in progress.

Here’s a look at the “Talon†and “Wings†blocker:

Eagle did not finalize their 2006 pad, but this is a shell of a prototype. They’ve been playing with different ideas so far.

A pad with several different ideas that didn’t fit into any specific model:

[Lemieux 66]

The final tweaks on the 2006 Infinity were pretty much finished:

The 2006 Infinity’s leg channel:

Blocker and trapper samples for the Eagle reps awaiting assembly:

Stack of “Talon†blocker faces after sewing:

Pad for Hockeygiant. Two features in HG’s pads are the super-rigidity through the entire pad and the black leg channel area.

[Lemieux 66]

And finally, when it was all said and done, the gear was finished one hour before my outbound flight. I took a picture with the Production Staff, Gus, and Ross.

The gear and me in the reception area:

The gear and me outside the office:

The entire trip was fantastic. Everyone at Eagle treated me really well and it was an experience of a lifetime. The company is top-notch and is committed to providing high-quality gear with customer service that goes head and shoulders above anything one can imagine.

Eagle also selected two other graphics for their pad design contest: designs 2 and 4. In fact, design 4 had some Olympic exposure through Tomas Vokoun and Jan Lasak! Chris Mason wore design 2 for a few games, too. I hope to see my graphic in the NHL sometime this season.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

That's pretty neat. We should've gotten you a MSH hat or t-shirt.

I'm going to plan a London trip. Perhaps I can do the same with a pair of player gloves.

[Nelly 0]

That is fricken awesome!! You have a grin from ear to ear and I do not blame you one bit! Congrats and have fun with the new gear. Oh yeah, don't forget to give us a follow-up review in a few weeks when you've had a chance to give them some good use. I have been leaning toward custom Eagles for my next pads.

[Miike 1]

That's pretty neat. We should've gotten you a MSH hat or t-shirt.

I'm going to plan a London trip. Perhaps I can do the same with a pair of player gloves.

Haha i wouldnt mind doing that trip for a set of player gloves. I think i'd shit my pants as soon as i'd walk into the office.

As for your trip Chris, seems like you had an awesome time! Your one lucky bastard. The gear looks awesome! Congratulations.

[jrhky36 1]

the nxi mask is awsome. i have skated with the owner of nxi several times. he and ross are very good friends. so if eagle does come out with masks i think that they will be made by nxi

[Lemieux 66]

That's pretty neat.  We should've gotten you a MSH hat or t-shirt.

I'm going to plan a London trip.  Perhaps I can do the same with a pair of player gloves.

Y'know, it's never too late to send me the hat and shirt! :D

JR, you're a lucky guy if you're going to go to London now. I would've loved to check out the glove factory in November, but Eagle hadn't moved it yet. I missed it by a few months. :(

Nelly, the gear is breaking in nicely. I've grown pretty comfortable with them. I didn't change much from the stock Sentry. I know that the entire staff takes pride in being Eagle CUSTOM SPORTS, so I'm sure they'll accomodate your requests. If you have questions, send me a PM.

[donkey87 0]

Congrats and thanks for posting those pics.

Looks like your design is very close to the NHL. Hedberg Pads Looks like Hedberg used a pair with your graphics on them for a couple of practices.